1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sports training apparatus and, more specifically, to a target screen having a strike zone which is attachable to a structure such as, for example, a swing set for use in practicing pitching and aiming a baseball.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, to practice pitching the pitcher would have to engage the services of a human catcher. Similarly, to practice throwing to first base, a cut-off throw or a throw for when a person is stealing second base, the ballplayer would need to find another player. However, a second player is not always readily available. Moreover, the other player needs to be sufficiently proficient in catching, otherwise much time may be wasted chasing after missed balls and it may be difficult to determined whether a pitched ball was delivered accurately into the strike zone.
Numerous conventional devices have been developed to aid a player in practicing pitching and to address the aforementioned issues. Such devices include screens with openings through which a player attempts to throw a ball. Examples of such devices include U.S. Pat. No. 2,873,969, to M. G. Ziel; U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,028, to Larkin; U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,952, to Playter, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,883, to Grimaldi et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,032, to Coleman et al.
Nevertheless, conventional devices are limited by being susceptible to damage from repeated ball strikes around the perimeter of the strike zone, are limited in signaling where in the strike zone that the ball was thrown and/or require a dedicated structure for deploying the device rather than being adapted for use with a typical backyard item such as a swing set. Conventional pitching targets that require a dedicated structure are problematic for families having modest yards without suitable useful space for both a pitching aid and a swing set causing them to decide which one of the two to set-up. This can be a divisive issue as children differ in their interest, particularly where there are children of different ages.
Although there are numerous devices in the art to aid a player in practicing pitching and aiming a baseball, there remains a need for a simply constructed pitching target that is durable against repeated impacts that occur at and near aimed for locations on the target. There is also need in the art for a pitching target that clearly indicates which part of the strike zone through which the ball was thrown. Further, there is a need in the art for a pitching target that is easily attachable to an existing structure such as a swing set so that a common area can be interchangeably be used for both swinging and practicing pitching.